CBS Sports ranks Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore last on the Big Ten coaching list
![CBS Sports ranks Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore last on the Big Ten coaching list CBS Sports ranks Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore last on the Big Ten coaching list](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3186,h_1792,x_0,y_40/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/wolverine_digest/01j1xgycex6z071mxw29.jpg)
Last season saw massive coaching changes throughout football, and Michigan was one of the headliners on that front as head coach Sherron Moore replaced Jim Harbaugh in 2024.
As part of their annual exercise, CBS Sports released a ranking of all 68 Power 4 head coaches after the dust settled from a wild coaching binge. It’s fair to say voters are waiting for Moore as a first-time head coach in the CBS poll. The 38-year-old lands at No. 52 out of 68 coaches, which puts him at No. 15 (out of 18) among Big Ten head coaches. Here’s what CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli had to say about Moore:
“Typically, first-year coaches don’t start this high in the rankings, but Moore is not your typical first-year coach. Thanks to Jim Harbaugh’s various missteps, he played four games as head coach last season and won all of them, including wins over Penn State and Ohio State. Many coaches are ranked ahead of him without such impressive wins, but it will be interesting to see how Moore fares as the captain of a ship that just won a national title.”
It is difficult to rank new head coaches. In recent years we have seen several success stories at major programs, such as Lincoln Riley Takeover for Bob Stoops Oklahoma, Dabo Swinney to be promoted from within in Clemson and, yes, even Ryan Day Substitute Urban Meyer at Ohio State (insert “born on third base” joke here). For each of these guys, however, there are several star coordinators from the past who were not suited to the head coaching job.
Moore will have every opportunity to prove himself at Michigan. He took over one of the best programs in the country, but also had to make some difficult hires after nearly all of the Wolverines’ defensive coaches followed Harbaugh to Los Angeles. The Wolverines return this season with a strong defense and have two key offensive leaders at tailback. Donovan Edwards and Tight End Colston Loveland.
Much of Michigan’s identity will remain as it was under Harbaugh, but Moore will be able to mold the program in his own image over time. After a slow start in recruiting amid all the offseason changes, Michigan has rebounded with a strong June and could follow it up with a productive July.
It’s too early to judge the caliber of head coach Moore at Michigan, but after leading the Wolverines to four wins in four tries as interim coach last season, including victories over Penn State and Ohio State, there’s plenty of reason for optimism in Ann Arbor.
Here’s how CBS Sports rates each Big Ten head coach:
National rank |
Big Ten Rank |
Head Coach |
School |
---|---|---|---|
No. 2 |
number 1 |
Ryan Day |
Ohio State |
No. 9 |
No. 2 |
Daniel Lanning |
Oregon |
No. 10 |
No. 3 |
Lincoln Riley |
USC |
No. 11 |
Number 4 |
James Franklin |
Penn State |
No. 17 |
No. 5 |
Lukas Fickell |
Wisconsin |
No. 18 |
No. 6 |
Kirk Ferentz |
Iowa |
No. 27 |
No. 7 |
Jonathan Smith |
State of Michigan |
No. 29 |
No. 8 |
Matt Rhule |
Nebraska |
No. 31 |
No. 9 |
Every fish |
Washington |
No. 36 |
No. 10 |
Bret Bielema |
Illinois |
No. 39 |
No. 11 |
PJ Fleck |
Minnesota |
No. 40 |
No. 12 |
Greg Schiano |
Rutgers |
No. 41 |
No. 13 |
Michael Locksley |
Maryland |
No. 43 |
No. 14 |
Curt Cignetti |
Indiana |
No. 52 |
No. 15 |
Sherron Moore |
Michigan |
No. 53 |
No. 16 |
David Brown |
Northwest |
No. 65 |
No. 17 |
Ryan Walters |
Purdue |
No. 68 |
No. 18 |
DeShaun Foster |
University of California |
– For more coverage of the Michigan Wolverines, visit Michigan Wolverines On SI –
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